Maternity and nursing brassiere



Oct, 21; 1958 R. w; cROxALL MATERNITY AND NURSING BRASSIERE Filed Sept. 12, 1955 INVENTOR 7 ROBERT WfCROXALL ATTORNEYS MATERNITY AND NURSING BRASSIERE Robert W. Croxall, Arcadia, Califi, assignor to Elaine of Hollywood Brassiere Co., a corporation of California Application September 12, 1955, Serial No. 533,773

6 Claims. (Cl. 128-460) This invention has to do with nursing or maternity brassieres.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved brassiere designed for use during pregnancy and during the months following the birth of a baby.

It is a particular object to provide a novel brassiere which incorporates means for adjustably varying the effective size of the breast cups or breast pockets and means enabling the wearer to partially detach the breast cups to expose the breasts for nursing.

A further object is to provide a brassiere of the type indicated which is simply constructed and can be easily manipulated by the wearer.

Another object is to provide a brassiere of the type indicated which provides adequate support for the breasts and which incorporates means for readily adjusting the brassiere to the individual.

These and other objects will be apparent from the drawing and the following description. Referring to the drawing:

Fig. l is a front perspective view of a brassiere embodying the invention, shown as it appears on a wearer;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the garment with the breast pocket portions thereof partially detached;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the inner side of the garment; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views on lines 44, 55, respectively, of Fig. 1.

More particularly describing the invention, the brassiere includes two body-encircling bands or panels, indicated by 11 and 12, which terminate in suitable fastening strap elements 13 and 14, respectively, for the purpose of securing the same behind the back of the wearer. The two panels 11 and 12 are joined by a central section or panel 15 which extends partially beneath and between the two breast pockets or cups, indicated by 17. The cups are attached as by stitching (not shown) to the central panel or section 15 and also to the side panels 11 and 12.

Behind the cups I provide an inner panel which is shown in Fig. 3 and is attached to the side panels along the arcuate region 21 at the lateral margin of each cup. Shoulder straps 25 are provided Which are secured at one end to the respective panels 11 and 12 and at their other ends to the inner panel 20 at the apexes 26 thereof located substantially above the center of the breast cups.

It is a particular feature of the invention that the breast cups can be adjusted to vary the effective size thereof and can also be partially detached to expose the breasts of the wearer. To accomplish this, I provide a 3-point detachable suspension arrangement as follows: at the two apexes 26 of the inner panel I provide attachment means shown as comprising a strip of fabric 28 fitted with eyes 29. I also provide a similar strip 30 at the center of the inner panel. At the upper central margin of each breast cup I provide a hook 32 and a similar hook, indiatent ice cated by 33, at the center ofthe garment on the section 15 between the breast cups.

With the construction described, it will be apparent that the breast cup portions can be readily adjusted vertically to accommodate various-sized breasts and that, when occasion demands, the adjustment means can be detached as shown in Fig. 2 for the purpose of exposing one or both breasts for nursing.

While I have shown and described a preferred form of 'my invention, 1 contemplate that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as indicated by the claims which follow.

I claim:

1. A maternity brassiere, comprising body-encircling band means adapted to extend around the wearer, a pair of laterally spaced breast pockets attached at their margins throughout their lower half portions to said band means, a separate inner panel attached at its ends to said band means adjacent the laterally outward margins of the breast pockets and extending across the front of the brassiere spaced above the portion of said band means to which the lower portions of said cups are attached and positioned behind said breast pockets, a pair of shoulder straps, said straps each being attached at one end to said panel and at its other end to said band means, means detachably securing the central front portion of the band means to said panel, and means detachably securing the upper central portions of said breast pockets to said panel.

2. A brassiere as set forth in claim 1 in which the means detachably securing the front portion of the brassiere to said panel and the means detachably securing the breast pockets to said panel are adjustable vertically with respect to said panel.

3. A maternity brassiere, comprising body-encircling band means adapted to extend around a wearer, said band means including a central portion and two side portions, a pair of breast pockets each attached at its margins throughout its lower half portion to the central portion and to one of the side portions of said band means, a separate inner panel extending across the front of the brassiere behind said breast pockets and attached at its ends to said side portions of the band means, a pair of shoulder straps, said straps each being attached at one end to a side portion near the free end thereof and at its other end to said panel, and means detachably securing said breast pockets and said central portion of said band means to said panel.

4. A brassiere as set forth in claim 3 in which the means detachably securing the breast pockets and the central portion of the band means to said panel is vertically a justable with respect to said panel.

5. A maternity brassiere, comprising body-encircling band means adapted to extend around a wearer, said band means including a central portion and two side portions, a pair of breast pockets each attached at its margins throughout its lower half portion to the central portion and to one of the side portions of said band means, a separate inner panel extending across'the front of the brassiere behind said breast pockets and attached at its ends to said side portions of the band means, a pair of shoulder straps, said straps each being attached at one end to a side portion near the free end thereof and at its other end to said panel, mean at the central portion of the upper margin of each breast pocket and at corresponding places on said panel detachably securing said pockets to said panel, and means at the upper margin of said central portion of said band means and at a corresponding place on said panel detachably securing said central portion to said panel.

band ea n edtq z eadarqan the a er Ha of laterally spaced breast pockets attachedat their nnar gins throughout their lower half portions to said band means, .an 'innep panel attached at its ends to said band means adjacent the laterally outvv ardtna gjns of thebre'ast pockets and'extending -across the front gf the btassiere behind said breast pockets, a'rpair of shpulde straps, said straps each being attachedatone endto said panel and at its other end to said band means, de taehable fastening means between the upper margin of each breast pocket and said panel andbe'tyyeen the central portion of the brassiere between saidlppeketsand said panel, said fastening means being so constructed and arranged as "to-permit either said 'poclxet and said central portion of the btassiere to be individually detached from said panel and being so cdfisti iictedand atianged asto permit of vertical adjustment of the: breast pockets and the central portion of the brassiere relative to said panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

